Pulp cleaner



23, 1955 T.-M. WALTERS 2,715,860

PULP CLEANER Filed July 2, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet l Theodore M. Wal/ersINVENTOR.

BY WWW Aug. 23, 1955 T. M. WALTERS PULP CLEANER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledJuly 2, 1954 Fig.2

Theodore M. Walters INVENTOR. Q0152 BY 21m 219% United States PatentPULP CLEANER Theodore lv Waiters, Easton, Pa., assignor of fifty percent to Lewis C. Walter, Riegelsville, Pa.

Application July 2, 1954, Serial No. 441,062

9 Ciaims. (61. ii-28) This invention relates generally to themanufacture of paper and pertains more particularly to a pulp cleanermechanism.

A primary object of this invention is to provide an extremely efficientpulp cleaning mechanism which incoporates a minimum number of parts andwhich is generally endowed with simplicity of operation so as to provideboth effective and trouble-free operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pulp cleaning mechanismfor separating dirt and foreign material from pulp by means of causingthe foreign material to be disposed on the outer side surfaces of asheet of pulp issuing from an ejector device and flowing therefrom intoa pulp receiver whereby the frictional drag of the atmosphere on theheavier foreign particles will cause them to fall away from and beseparated from the sheet issuing from the ejector assembly.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the improved pulp cleaner;

Figure 2 is an enlarged horizontal section taken substantially along theplane of section line 2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially along theplane of section line 3-3 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken through the ejectorassembly;

Figure 5 is a further enlarged vertical section taken substantiallyalong the plane of section line 5-5 in Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the valve devices shown inFigure 4.

Referring now more particularly to Figure l, the assembly will be seento consist essentially of an ejector assembly 10, a pulp receiverassembly 12 and a trough 14 for receiving the particles of foreignmaterial. Reference numeral 16 indicates an inlet pipe by means of whichthe mixture of pulp fiber, foreign material and water is fed into theejector assembly by means of the short inlet lines 18 which incorporatethe valve mechanisms 20.

As shown most clearly in Figure 4, the valve assemblies 20 are all ofidentical construction, and each incorporates a two-piece body assemblyincluding the end cap 22 and the valve housing 24. Each housing isprovided with a sleeve member 26 within which a valve 28 is mounted,this valve being of spherical configuration and provided with a threadedaperture for receiving the lower end of a valve stem member 42 having alever 44 at its upper end for control of the valve 28. Additionally,each valve 28 is provided with a diametrical bore 46 by means of whichflow through the lines 18 may be throttled from a 2,715,856 FatentedAug. 23, 1955 "ice full shut-oif position to a full open position, aswill be readily apparent.

-The lines 18 are detachably secured to the ejector assembly 10, as willbe readily apparent, and the ejector assembly will be seen to consist ofa vertically elongated body 48 having first and second collectorchambers 50 and 52 therein with the collector chambers interconnected bymeans of the relatively narrow passage 54. Each collector chamber is ofenlarged circular configuration, and these chambers are provided withthe deflector rods 56 and 58, respectively, vertically disposed thereinin concentric relation thereto. The deflector rods are verticallyslidable within the chamber, passing outwardly through the upper end ofthe ejector through the packing material 60, packing sleeve 62 and endcap 64 in the manner set forth. Operating handles 66 are pivoted aboutpins 68 carried by brackets 70 mounted on the ejector, and the lowerends of the rods 56 and 58 carry resilient ball members 72 and 74,respectively, seating on the apertured plugs 76 and 78 provided at thelower ends of the chambers 50 and 52. It is to be understood that thepulp and water mixture is fed through the inlet 16 under pressure suchthat the pressure will normally maintain the valves 72 and 74 in contactwith their plugs 76 and 78, that is, in a closed position.

The free end of the ejector assembly is provided with a nozzle 88 havinga vertically elongated, relatively narrow passage 82 therein throughwhich the pulp fiber and Water mixture is ejected in sheet-like form.The trough 14 is mounted such that one end thereof is disposed below theejector assembly 10 with its opposite end spaced some distancetherefrom, and it will be seen that the pulp receiver 12 is in the formof a tank having one wall 84 thereof facing the ejector assembly 10 andprovided therein with a vertically elongated opening or slot 86 throughwhich the sheet 88 of pulp mixture issuing from the ejector 10 istargeted.

Catch vanes 90 may be provided on the outer surface of the wall 84 inconvergent relation to the slot 86 so as to minimize waste should thesheet 88 have a tendency to diffuse as it approaches the slot 86.

The clean pulp is educted from the receiver 12 through the dischargeline 92 and foreign material is educted from the trough 14 through thedischarge line 94.

In operation, as will be seen most clearly in Figure 2, the pulp fiber,water and foreign material mixture is introduced into the first chamber50 and strikes the deflector rod 56 therein which will tend to move theheaviest particles, namely, the foreign material, to the region of thebounding surfaces of the chamber 50 wherein some will fall by gravity tothe lower portions of this chamber adjacent the valve 72 and foreignmaterial which continues in its movement with the pulp and water mixturewill be disposed adjacent the opposite sides of the communicatingpassage 54 and will be further deflected upon entrance into the chamber52 by means of the rod 58 such that more foreign material will settlewithin this chamber and the remaining foreign material will be issuedout through the nozzle opening 82 adjacent the opposite sides thereofand will be disposed on the outer side faces of the sheet 88 issuingfrom the nozzle whereby the retarding force of the atmosphere will actquickest and most drastically on the heavy foreign material particlescausing them to drop off and separate themselves from the sheet 88 tofall into the trough 14 and permit only clean pulp fiber and watermixture to enter the receiver 12 through the slot 86. Under someconditions, it may be necessary to operate two units serially to effecta proper cleaning of the pulp and fiber and water mixture.

Periodically, the valve levers 66 may be manipulated to blow down anyforeign material which will have collected in the chambers 50 and 52,such blow-down being dis- J charged directly into the trough 14, as willbe readily apparent.

It is, of course, to be understood that the valves 28 are provided tocontrol the exit velocity of the sheet 88 issuing from. the, nozzle 80to efiect the optimum velocity con: dition which will permit the maximumof foreign material to be separated .from the pulp fiber and watermixture and ,yet which will allow substantially all of the pulp fiberand water, mixture to reach the receiver through the opening 86 therein.relatively low velocities are generally much more desirable than highervelocities, and it is generally not necessary to. provide anunreasonably high inlet pressure for the. mixture.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of J the device willbe readily understood and further explanation is believed to beunnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction shown and described,

and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may beresorted to, falling within the scope. of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1..A. ulp cleaner comprising an ejector assembly including a verticallydisposed elongated nozzle member having a vertically disposed slottedopening adapted to issue a'vertical sheet-like stream of pulp fiber andwater mixture into the atmosphere, means disposed below said ejectorassembly and extending therebeyond for receiving dirt and foreign matterseparated from the sheet-like streamv of pulp fiber and water, and aclean pulp fiber receiver spaced downstream from said nozzle member,said receiver having a vertically disposed elongated slot thereinopening to the atmosphere in alignment with the :1

elongated slot therein adapted to receive a sheet-like stream of pulpfiber and water mixture, said ejector as- In this respect, it has beenfoundv that sembly also including a pair of spaced parallel collectorchambers, each, of said chambers being vertically elongated andinterconnected by a relatively narrow passage, said .nozzle membercommunicating with one of said chambers.

3. In a pulp cleaner, a vertically elongated housing, said housinghaving a pair of spaced, parallel, vertical chambers thereininterconnected by a relatively narrow passage, said housing also havinga nozzle portion communicating with one of said chambers and providedwith a vertically elongated discharge opening adapted to issue a,sheet-like stream of pulp fiber and water mixture therefrom, saidchamber being provided with annular plug members at their lower ends, adeflector rod disposed concentrically within each of said chambers andmounted in said housing for vertical sliding movement, a resilientvalvebody secured to the lower end of each of said deflector rods andnormally seated on said plug members, and=means for manually. movingsaid rods in a vertical direction.

4. A pulp cleaner comprising an ejector assembly including a verticallyelongated nozzle member adapted to issuea sheetdike stream of pulp fiberand water mixture,

3. trough'disposed below said ejector assembly and extendingtherebeyond,and a clean pulp fiber receiver spaced from said nozzle, said receiverhaving a vertically elongated slot therein adapted to receive asheet-like stream of:pulp fiber and water mixture, said ejector assemblyalso including apair of spaced parallel collector chambers,

53 each of said chambers being vertically elongated and interconnectedby a relatively narrow passage, said nozzle member communicating withone of said chambers, each of said chambers being provided with aconcentrically disposed deflector rod.

5. A pulp cleaner comprising an ejector assembly including a verticallyelongated nozzle member adapted to issue a sheet-like stream of pulpfiber and water mixture, a trough disposed below said ejector assemblyand extending therebeyond, and a clean pulp fiber receiver spaced fromsaid nozzle, said receiver having a vertically elongated slot thereinadapted to receive a sheet-like stream of pulp fiber and water mixture,said ejector assembly also including a pair of: spaced parallelcollector chambers, each of said chambers being vertically elongated andinterconnected by a relatively narrow passage, said nozzle membercommunicating with one of said chambers, an annular plug member at thelower end of each of said chambers, a vertically disposed deflector rodpositioned concentrically of each of said chambers, a resilient valvebody secured to the lower end of each of said deflector rods andnormally seated on said plug members, and means for manually moving saiddeflector rods in a vertical direction.

6. A. pulp cleaning machine comprising a supply line adapted to containa mixture of pulp fiber and water, an ejector assembly, a series ofinlet pipes connecting said supply line to said ejector assembly andeach having a manually controlled valve therein, said ejector assemblyincluding a vertically clongated'nozzle member having a verticallydisposed slotted opening adapted'to issue a vertical sheet-like streamof pulp fiber and water mixture into the atmosphere, means disposedbelow said ejector assembly and extending therebeyond for receiving dirtand foreign matter separated from the sheet-like stream of pulp fiberand water, and a clean pulp fiber receiver spaced downstream from saidnozzle, said receiver having a vertically disposed elongated slottherein opening to the atmosphere in alignment with the verticallydisposed slotted opening in said nozzle member for receiving thesheet-like stream of pulp fiber and water mixture.

7. A pulp cleaning machine comprising a supply line adapted to contain amixture of pulp fiber and water, an ejector assembly, a series of inletpipes connecting said supply line to said ejector assembly and eachhaving a manually controlled valve therein, said ejector assemblyincluding a vertically elongated nozzle member adapted to issue asheet-like stream of pulp fiber and water mixture, a trough disposedbelow said ejector and extending therebeyond, and a clean pulp fiberreceiver spaced from said nozzle, said receiver having a verticallyelongated slot therein adapted to receive a sheet-like stream of pulpfiber and water mixture, said ejector assembly also in-. cluding a pairof spaced parallel collector chambers, each of said chambers beingvertically elongated and interconnected by a relatively narrow passage,said nozzle member communicating with one of said chambers.

8. A pulp cleaning machine comprising a supply line adapted. to containa mixture of pulp fiber and water, an ejector assembly, a series ofinlet pipes connecting said supply line to said ejector assembly andeach having a manually controlled valve therein, said ejectorassemblyincluding a vertically elongated nozzle member adapted to issue asheet-likestream of pulp fiber and water mixture, a trough disposedbelow said ejector andextending therebeyond, and a clean pulp fiberreceiver spaced from said nozzle, said receiver having a vertically.elongated slot therein adapted to receive a sheet-like stream. of pulpfiber and water mixture, said ejector assembly also including a pair ofspaced parallel collector chambers, each of said chambers beingvertically elongated and interconnected by a relatively narrow passage,said nozzle member communicating with one of said chambers, each of saidchambers being provided with a. concentrically disposed deflector rod.

9. A pulp cleaning machine comprising a supply line adapted to contain amixture of pulp fiber and Water, an ejector assembly, a series of inletpipes connecting said supply line to said ejector assembly and eachhaving a manually controlled valve therein, said ejector assemblyincluding a vertically elongated nozzle member adapted to issue asheet-like stream of pulp fiber and water mixture, a trough disposedbelow said ejector and extending therebeyond, and a clean pulp fiberreceiver spaced from said nozzle, said receiver having a verticallyelongated slot therein adapted to receive a sheet-like stream of pulpfiber and water mixture, said ejector assembly also including a pair ofspaced parallel collector chambers, each of said chambers beingvertically elongated and interconnected by a relatively narrow passage,said nozzle member communicating with one of said chambers, an

annular plug member at the lower end of each of said chambers, avertically disposed deflector rod positioned concentrically of each ofsaid chambers, a resilient valve body secured to the lower end of eachof said deflector rods and normally seated on said plug members, andmeans for manually moving said deflector rods in a vertical direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,525,249 Mastenbrook Feb. 3, 1925 1,735,298 Pfeffer Nov. 12, 19292,133,974 Cowles Oct. 25, 1938 2,386,632 Poirier Oct. 9, 1945

1. A PULP CLEANER COMPRISING AN EJECTOR ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A VERTICALLYDISPOSED ELONGATED NOZZLE MEMBER HAVING A VERTICALLY DISPOSED SLOTTEDOPENING ADAPTED TO ISSUE A VERTICAL SHEET-LIKE STREAM OF PULP FIBER ANDWATER MIXTURE INTO THE ATMOSPHERE, MEANS DISPOSED BELOW SAID EJECTORASSEMBLY AND EXTENDING THEREBEYOND FOR RECEIVING DIRT AND FOREIGN MATTERSEPARATED FROM THE SHEET-LIKE STREAM OF PULP FIBER AND WATER, AND ACLEAN PULP FIBER RECEIVER SPACED DOWNSTREAM FROM SAID NOZZLE MEMBER,SAID RECEIVER HAVING A VERTICALLY DISPOSED ELONGATED SLOT THEREINOPENING TO THE ATMOSPHERE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE VERTICALLY DISPOSEDSLOTTED OPENING IN SAID NOZZLE MEMBER FOR RECEIVING THE SHEET-LIKESTREAM OF PULP FIBER AND WATER MIXTURE.